Spaghetti al Pomodoro
You can’t get more classic than Spaghetti al Pomodoro. It’s just pasta tossed with tomato sauce, but somehow, it’s always the one everyone remembers. The magic comes from a handful of simple things—ripe tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and basil—cooked together until they taste like summer on a plate. People usually reach for San Marzano tomatoes because they’re sweet and a little tangy, and the sauce turns out thick and rich. Sure, it looks easy, but getting it just right takes great ingredients and a little patience. Why’s it so famous? Honestly, this dish is pure Italian cooking: fresh, simple, and all about letting the tomato shine. No wonder it’s loved everywhere.
Margherita Pizza
Pizza Margherita is pretty much pizza in its purest form. It started in Naples as a nod to Queen Margherita of Savoy back in the late 1800s. The colors—red tomatoes, white mozzarella, and green basil—match the Italian flag. Bite into a good Margherita: thin, crisp crust, sweet tomato sauce, gooey mozzarella, and a scatter of fresh basil. That’s all you need. Neapolitan pizza makers love San Marzano tomatoes for a reason; they grow in volcanic soil near Vesuvius, and the flavor is just different—deeper, sweeter, perfect for pizza. Why’s it iconic? Margherita pizza is Italian pride baked into every slice. It’s hardly changed in over a hundred years, and each bite shows off how good fresh, simple ingredients can be.
Pasta alla Norma
Pasta alla Norma is pure Sicily on a plate. You get pasta, a rich tomato sauce, fried or roasted eggplant, and plenty of ricotta salata crumbled on top. The dish is named after Bellini’s opera “Norma,” and it’s especially loved in Catania. The sauce starts with ripe, peeled tomatoes, garlic, and basil, all simmered down until it’s thick and smooth. The eggplant brings a hint of smokiness, and the sharp, salty ricotta salata pulls everything together. Why’s it so special? It’s bold and rustic, just like Sicily itself. Tomatoes, eggplant, and ricotta salata—put them together, and you get a dish that’s both unique and packed with flavor, a real snapshot of Sicilian food.
Ossobuco alla Milanese with Gremolata and Tomato Sauce
Ossobuco alla Milanese is the kind of dish you dream about on a cold day. Veal shanks braised slowly in a tomato-rich sauce until the meat practically falls off the bone. Right before serving, you sprinkle on gremolata—lemon zest, garlic, and parsley—which wakes up all those deep flavors. Some people make ossobuco without tomatoes, but the tomato version brings a little extra brightness and depth to the sauce. What makes it iconic? This is Northern Italy in a bowl: layers of flavor built up over hours, simple ingredients treated with care, and a final burst of freshness from the gremolata. It’s comfort food, Italian-style.
Pappa al Pomodoro
Pappa al Pomodoro is Tuscany’s answer to comfort food. It’s really just a way to use up stale bread, but it turns into something so much better. You take ripe tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and chunks of old bread, cook them down together, and end up with a soup that’s thick, hearty, and packed with tomato flavor. Basil gives it a fresh kick, and a drizzle of the best olive oil you can find takes it over the top. Why does it matter? This soup sums up cucina povera—the Italian idea of making something amazing out of almost nothing. It’s humble, filling, and every spoonful feels like home.
